"Love you too... bye, bye!"

Today started out anxious because I couldn't find the phone number we were supposed to use to call Anya. After searching and searching, Jack called someone to try and find out the number. The people weren't home and we thought we might not get to call this week. He tried to call again a little while later, they were home and he got the phone number. Thanks Jack! We were suppose to call Anya at 8:00pm, which was 1:00pm here. We jumped the gun a little hoping they would be expecting us and called at about 12:45. We didn't know if the phone call would go through (the phone lines there aren't stable) and we didn't know if anyone would actually answer if the call went through.

I never expected what happened.... Anya answered the phone herself! She said, "Anya." I was in shock and said, "Is this Anya?". And she said, "Hi!". I don't know how long she had been sitting there waiting for the phone to ring, but she was ready & knew we were calling. She was so excited and it sounded like some of her friends were in Nina's office with her listening to her talk to us. Every once in a while she would turn away from the phone and say a bunch of stuff in Russian and just start giggling and then should would come back and talk to us. We were able to talk to her for about 25 minutes and we probably didn't get too much communicated, but it was wonderful! She was able to tell us she received her birthday package and she said it had no bananas (she loves bananas). I sent shoes in her package and she said they fit. She said school is good and Nastya (her roommate) is good. I told her that we would be sending her a package for Easter (which is at the end of April in Russia), and I told her it would have a present for her and a present for Nastya. She said, "little present Nastya." I thought that was hilarious! She doesn't want us taking up too much of her package with a present for someone else. Anya was so giddy and excited and asked to talk "more". I think she was meaning for us to call again. I told her that we had tried to call before, but were never able to reach her (not sure if she understood). Anya also tried to communicate something to me several times... something about me doing something, but I had no idea what she was talking about. She talked to Jack and Faith and asked about Caleb (he was sleeping). Also, she asked to talk to "Belle" (my mom), "Beth" and "Grandy" (my dad). I told her that we would try to have them talk to her next time. It was all very humorous conversation because we didn't know much of what the other was trying to say, but we were all so happy to talk it didn't matter. Anya wanted to know when we would call back and I said we would have to ask Nina. Anya said to call her tomorrow, but then said Saturday at 4:00pm. I will be checking with Nina to see when would be a good time to call (hopefully weekly). I'm not sure if someone told her it was time to get off the phone, but Anya finally said "Mama, it's finished" and I knew we were going to have to get off the phone. Just being able to talk to her and know she is safe, well and happy has lifted such a weight off of us! None of us wanted to hang up and after she said a long good-bye to me, she said one to Faith and to Jack. Then she came back to me and said "Bye, bye Mama." I said, "Bye, bye Anya. I love you" and she said the words we have been waiting so long to hear again "love you too... bye, bye." And with that, I hung up the phone.

What an exciting day! God is so good to give us such simple pleasures. We take for granted being able to communicate with loved ones and I'm not sure we have ever treasured a phone call like we did today. It was priceless (and it actually only cost about 1 cent per minute). I pray that Anya went to bed with hope and knowledge that there is a mama & papa who love her. We will have a lot of catching up to do when she gets here as far as spiritual things are concerned, but I pray that she will one day understand that she has had a Father all along. He's been there watching over her through every struggle and that He chose her to be our daughter. How blessed it is to be chosen!